Rob Van Dam recently took part in an interview with Justin Barrasso for Sports Illustrated Extra Mustard‘s Week In Wrestling.
RVD talks about his ECW and WWE career, including an idea WWE had for him during his last run to turn him heel, his stand up comedy tour and much more. You can read a few highlights below:
Rob Van Dam says WWE pitched him an idea to turn heel as a ‘Paul Heyman Guy’:
“The office wanted to put me with Paul and turn me heel. But I already have one foot out the door in wrestling, so why change to a heel when I’m on my way out? I’ve been so willing to stay strong and stick to my guns for so long when it comes to my beliefs. I’m a symbol to people for a lot of different things, and changing me to a heel, at the last minute, could change that.”
RVD comments on being a proponent of medical marijuana:
“I have gone my career using it. From personal experience, I can tell you that it works for me. It might not work for everybody, but now that they’re starting to take the first honest look at marijuana and its benefits, they’re finding that it can cure almost anything. It’s like a miraculous plant that Jack Herer used to tell people about way back in the 70’s. Everybody thought he was crazy, but we’re still finding out about all these uses—and the conservatives are still fighting the studies and still fighting the changing of the law.
“I was taught in high school that marijuana and acid are the same thing. Now, today in 2016, the federal government still has them both classified as a Schedule 1 drug. It’s amazing, and stuff like that has to change. Once the conservatives find that they can profit on it in some way, they’ll turn and try to own it.”
RVD says he has an open door for a WWE return, if he feels the right deal could be worked out:
“I have an open door with WWE as far as wrestling goes. I also have an ongoing merchandise relationship. I hope that the right opportunity presents itself so that I will do another run with WWE. For me, the fans missing me and wanting to see me on TV is very important, but the business end of it also has to be right.
“I certainly hope that comes together, and it will be something that is right for me and right for WWE and right for the fans. But at this point, I do not have any plans of such. Even when I’m not wrestling, I still appreciate all my fans. I take all the compliments to heart. I don’t think all the other wrestlers hear the same love from the fans that I do—they are extreme about it.”
